Daniel

The prophet Daniel survived a night in the lion's den on the strength of his faith and his wits, and the Hebrew name he carried — Daniyyel, God is my judge — has been in steady circulation ever since. It crosses borders and alphabets with almost unmatched ease: Daniil in Russian, Daniele in Italian, Daniyal in Arabic, always recognizable. In the United States it has held a spot in the top twenty for more than half a century, rare for any name. Two syllables, an open first and a soft landing. Biblical without being heavy, familiar without being worn. The kind of name that works in every decade of a life.